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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

New Engine, Cool Wx, Cool Fun

After Erin's birthday ride to the Outer Banks in early October, it was time for a 25-hour oil change. It turned out, it was also time for overhaul. As usual, I drained the oil, pulled off the spin-on oil filter. As the engine got closer to its time before overhaul (TBO), I started the practice of cutting the oil filter open BEFORE adding oil to the engine, just in case there was trouble in paradise. Sadly this oil filter presented a few ferrous shavings. Trouble. We were at 1,350 hours (50 before the then factory recommended TBO). It was time. I talked with Othman Rashed of Triad Aviation and he committed to a two-week turn-around on the engine. He did it, but with a full-time job, it took me another few weeks to get it installed, and run-in. The good news is that it now has about 12 hours on it (included is 2 hours in Triad's test cell) and it's performing flawlessly. Last two rides I did acro.

In addition to the overhauled fuel servo and distribution manifold, new starter, new mags, plugs, wires, I elected to have the exhaust system rebuilt, the prop governor overhauled, the prop inspected, re-sealed, and balanced (it was 3-years post overhaul and due), all new oil and fuel lines, oil cooler cleaned, flow and pressure checked, and new engine baffles made. As Triad is a authorized Lycoming dealer, with the work that was done, the engine goes to zero-time (that's engine speak for new, baby).
All this means is that we're up and operational. The next fifteen hours of operation will be at and above 75% power, to assist in the run-in process (coincidently that is the power setting for acro!). After that first 25-hour of high power setting operations, we can return to "normal" operations, e.g., pattern work.
Hope this cool weather we're having doesn't slow down your aviation plans.
See you at the airport!